Social Question

Spiders webs built low. Does this mean a mild winter?

If spiders predictions are correct and they have built their webs low, does this mean a mild winter? So far, this has proven true where I live. It’s almost 60 degrees and plenty of warm sunshine. There should be snow and below freezing temps. But, just the opposite is true. Question: how much faith do you put into low cobwebs built by spiders and has this proven to be true where you live?

The Farmer’s Almanac is happy to pass along this superstition. But others say it is not the height, but the size and frequency that predicts weather severity.

The Farmville Herald waxes prolix about about the ability of spiders to accurately predict the long term forecast. But again, not by the height of webs:

“Spider web sites are quite accurate when it comes to long-range winter forecasts.”

“A September with more spider webs than usual presages an early winter with cold weather. If cobwebs are “webbing up tight” in early September look for a very cold and long winter. If their “webbing up” occurs in early October it will be a mild winter ahead. Also, a large number of spider webs on the trees in the fall means a prolonged Indian summer.”

I was unable to find any research that tried to establish a scientific correlation between spider webs and long term weather trends.

There are about one million spiders per acre.
Some build high webs, some low. If they are building low, then they most liklely eat things at ground level. If you are seeing the webs, it means a frost or freeze hasn’t killed them or what they eat yet. So, yep, so far it is a mild winter ;)